The Boston Red Sox made a late change to their lineup Monday, scratching Jahmai Jones a couple of hours before gametime and replacing him with Mickey Gasper at designated hitter.
The move altered the batting order shortly before first pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park, where the three-game series carried critical postseason implications for both teams. The Red Sox initially posted a lineup with Jones batting leadoff, but the updated card had Gasper in the No. 8 spot at DH.
Gasper gets another quick look
Gasper was recalled from Triple-A on Sunday to replace the recently injured Masataka Yoshida, giving Boston another option in the lineup just one day before the switch. The Red Sox did not disclose a reason for scratching Jones at the time of publication.
Jones had arrived in a trade last month and had been performing well for Boston. In 14 games and 25 plate appearances, he had produced a 1.433 OPS with six RBIs, a strong start for a player trying to carve out a role.
Gasper, meanwhile, had appeared in 57 games with a.440 OPS and minus-1.2 bWAR. His insertion into the lineup shows how quickly roster depth can matter during a tight stretch of the schedule, especially with a team trying to keep pace in the standings.
For the Red Sox, the immediate question is not just why the change was made, but whether Gasper can provide enough production to help stabilize the lineup in the short term. The team’s latest move, detailed further in Mickey Gasper gets nod over Masataka Yoshida for Game 81, adds another layer to a busy day at Fenway Park.
